UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Diabetes is a growing national problem, and extension educators in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences say Pennsylvania citizens have special reasons for talking about treatment and prevention.

Diabetes, a disease that afflicts approximately 17 million Americans, is especially rampant among the elderly. Penn State Cooperative Extension agent and registered dietician Lynn James says Pennsylvania's high percentage of senior citizens is one reason extension agents are emphasizing diabetes awareness statewide:

"As a nation, we're aging and becoming more sedentary; people are gaining weight and not eating right, so our programs address all of those issues," she says. "We need to make people more aware, get them moving, eating more nutritiously and losing weight where needed."

Because Pennsylvania has the second-highest percentage of seniors in the nation, the diseases that come with aging affect the state disproportionately. James, who serves Snyder, Union, Northumberland, Montour and Lycoming Counties, explains that the incidence of diabetes in the state varies by county according to demographic factors, including age, income and education.

"About six percent of the state's population has diabetes, but in Northumberland County it's 7 percent," she says. "So we're focusing a lot of programming in Snyder and Northumberland Counties on diabetes prevention and outreach programming for diabetics or those at high risk."

James says the two counties, like others in Pennsylvania, not only have older populations, but also have lower income levels and less formal education than the national average -- both associated with higher diabetes rates. In Northumberland County, she says, diabetes is the leading hospital diagnosis -- patients who don't have it as their primary diagnosis often have it as a secondary or third diagnosis.

Causes of diabetes are still unknown, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. The most common form of the disease, Type 2 diabetes, is nearing epidemic proportions. The complications of diabetes can include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system diseases and amputations.

"It's really a devastating disease as we age," James says. "One of the biggest reasons people die of heart disease is because diabetes is hardening their arteries a lot sooner, which also is destroying their eyes and kidneys. It's also a very expensive disease: medication, testing, seeing more doctors, getting admitted to hospitals. So if you can make some changes now -- eat right, lose excess weight, exercise -- you can reduce medication costs, lessen those debilitating problems and cut hospital-related costs and insurance costs."

Penn State Cooperative Extension agents will be sponsoring a wide range of diabetes awareness and prevention programs in many counties across the state in 2003, says Marilyn Corbin, assistant director of cooperative extension. She explains that extension offers many advantages in addressing such a pervasive health problem on a local level.

"Many extension agents are registered dieticians, so they have a real commitment to taking diet into consideration when it comes to good health," Corbin says. "Also, they have very strong educational delivery skills. They know all kinds of fun and interesting ways to put community nutrition education strategies into place in their counties and towns. So we're capitalizing on our agents' strengths and talents."

The diabetes awareness drive is one portion of "Creating Health," a statewide public education initiative developed by Penn State Public Broadcasting in partnership with Penn State Cooperative Extension. The mission of the multi-year 'Creating Health' project is to build awareness of how daily lifestyle choices affect health, and to help motivate Pennsylvanians to improve the overall health of their families and communities.

A second component of the project is a television program, "Creating Health: Diabetes," produced by Penn State public television station WPSX-TV. The program will air several times on public television stations across Pennsylvania, and will be shown via videotape at Cooperative Extension-led community workshops and health screenings. Future "Creating Health" modules will focus on cancer prevention and cardiovascular health.

For more information on the television airdates or local education/awareness programs, contact your county Penn State Cooperative Extension office.

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EDITORS: Contact Lynn James at (570) 837-4252 or Ljames@psu.edu (e-mail).

Contact: Gary Abdullah gxa2@psu.edu 814-863-2708 814-863-9877 fax #296